Green tea is touted for a wide range of benefits, and heart health is no exception. A growing well of research suggests that going green may boost cardiovascular health.
Drinking green tea can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by as much as 31 percent, according to Healthline. It has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and prevent LDL particles from oxidation.
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The steamy beverage may help protect against atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque in the arteries, which is the most common cause of heart attack and stroke, according to Medical News Today.
The chemical compound epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) found in green tea helps break down proteins that contribute to atherosclerosis, Medical News Today noted, citing a recent study in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
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Jeremy Pearson, the associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, cautioned that simply drinking green tea may not be enough to make a difference, and more research is needed to find the best ways EGCG may help treat atherosclerosis, Medical News Today noted.
Other research points to flavonoids, such as catechins and epicatechins, as a possible key to heart health. Found in tea, these chemical compounds are credited with helping to reduce inflammation and the buildup of plaque in arteries, according to Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Howard Sesso, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, warned against going overboard, saying too much of a good thing could be harmful to the kidneys.
"Drink tea if you enjoy it, in moderation, and not because you're taking it as a medicine," Sesso said, according to Harvard Medical School.
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